Hawaiian Airlines Adds Vegan Meal Options to International Flights

United States commercial airline Hawaiian Airlines recently introduced vegan meals in the main cabin of all international flights, with the exception of Tahiti and Tutuila. The new plant-based options, which must be requested at least two days prior to a scheduled flight, are created by the airline’s local chefs based on the availability of ingredients and include dishes such as whole-wheat pasta with sauteéd mushrooms, leek ratatouille with tomato sauce, grilled vegetables, and fresh fruit. “Complimentary meals have been a hallmark of our Hawaiian hospitality centered around treating our passengers as if they were guests in our home,” Alex Da Silva, Hawaiian Airlines external communications senior manager, told VegNews. “We are always looking for ways to enhance and refine our service to create a memorable experience for everyone on board, and we decided to expand our options with the understanding that a growing number of our guests prefer vegan meals.” Hawaiian Airlines joins several international airlines that now offer vegan options due to increasing passenger requests. Late last year, Australian airline Jetstar added a vegan menu to its international flights and extended the option to domestic flights in February. In July, Air New Zealand added the Impossible Burger to its business-class menu on all flights—even after receiving backlash from the country’s red meat industry.